The secret is out.

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

The secret is out.

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

cab on

These are really old.....I've made a a lot of changes (read mistakes) since these last pics, but it will give you an idea of the final product/profile.

The biggest thing I have learned...these trucks are a BITCH to chop.

I know it doesn't really fit the general mold of what the rest of you have...but it's mine, and I'm building it 100% myself. If I ever finish this....put on a jacket and look to the skies because hell just froze over and pigs are flying. LOL

flatblack55delivery · PORT HOPE, ONT

Very cool truck.Love the tilt front .Nice work. Ed

Sacotu · COBOURG, ONT

gotta start somewhere. love the fab work. keep it up.

chevyboy · TORONTO, ONTARIO

Indeed a nice project. Always though about chopping something new so I wouldnt mess up something nice, and your chop looks great. Keep up the good work

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

Thanks guys.

Chevyboy....I learned just how much thinner the steel is in modern vehicles...making this kind of body mod a little more tricky welding wise. Also, these cabs havce all kinds of compound curves you don't really realize until you've cut 8" out of the corner posts LOL.

Seeker1056 · DOURO, ONT

I love it!

"I know it doesn't really fit the general mold of what the rest of you have...but it's mine, and I'm building it 100% myself. If I ever finish this....put on a jacket and look to the skies because hell just froze over and pigs are flying. LOL"

Think on it this way , Barris and the boys back in the day were cuttin n wackin brand new stuff back in thier day, and the stuff was old after they were done.

Your truck is 24 years old - almost a classic in its own right.

All that matters is that you enjoy it, its yours, and it fills whatever vision you have for it.

Dont lose faith in or sight of, the end

Nice workmanship too by the way!

Cat in the Hat · BRANTFORD, ONT

Your funny...... you pick probably one of the hardest things to chop (excluding a shoebox) and have done a great job!

Cutting a 30's is a breeze....can be done in a weekend!

Keep up the good work and remember.....its only metal! If it doesnt work out...cut it out and start again....or beat it into submission!

Always liked the tilt front ends..... pick yourself up an old convertable hydraulic system.... about $75 at a flea market and TADA .......power tilt!

I did that years ago to a 80 full size blazer then welded the hood to the fenders from the underside...used to go to the gas station (when they used to pump....remember you oldtimers) and tell the kid to check the oil.....he'd search for 15 min trying to open the hood...I'd laff my ass off and say...oooooppps forgot.....and power tilt the hood.....I'm still laffin about that even as I type it.

Building cars is like ridding bikes and sex......... once you get the nerve to do it the first time.....its easy!....and if something comes up that you don't know....ask your buddy! lmao....

Dont expect to build a show winning car the first time out.....build to make sure everything works and its safe....then work on making every weld better than the last one.... and every panel straighter than the last one......and every paint job shinier than the last...

I've been building for 30 years ( wow am I old ) and still learn new tricks with every magazine or internet site I look at...

....and as far as time goes...MAKE TIME.. every week commit some time...instead of watching dancing with the old stars....or american idiot..... spend that time doing something...ANYTHING for an hour or 2 on the truck and IT WILL GET DONE

Good work....don't lose faith.....

Sorry to ramble...Blah, Blah, Blah

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

Thanks guys, means a lot and good inspiration!

Grumps, I actually have the tilt mocked up to open hydraulically with a cylinder and small pump system from an outboard boat motor!

I do need to find time...but most of my time is consumed with work and family, the most important things (family first...work because you have to make a living!) I have three daughters, 8, 3.5 and 6 months...busy times.

I plan to get a grip on the cab this summer, even if it's 5 mins by 5 mins! and you're right! I did pick one of the hardest things to chop! I knew going into it that it would not be easy....but after I cut the roof off I was committed! LOL

Chris Stapley · CAMPBELLFORD, ONT

Wow man, the profile of that chop is awesome. I think I'm gonna need to make a trip out of it to come and see that bad boy.. Heck it's so cool I'd even get caught in a Chevy like that one!

fatstax · COBOURG, ONT

nice to see something thats not commonly chopped being chopped.

invision · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

Wow! I really must say that you've done an awesome job with your project. The chop looks just right :D You don't see many late model chops.

Looking forward to your next installment. Keep up the great work!

Adslow65 · LINDSAY, ONT

I agree with all the previous comments.... very neat project! And great job on the work you've done! Keep it up man I think we'd all like to see more lol!

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

Real nice looking project, and good looking fab workmanship!!

Lightspeed Mike · BELLEVILLE, ONT

Cool project! The chop looks great, you did find the secret I see. Use two roofs (4 is even better you only end up with 2 seams).
What are you doing for door glass?

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

The secret is basically two roofs...but extended cab roofs to get the etc. length. I've reworked this roof a few times now...I'm pretty much an expert on the make up of these cabs now! LOL

I have my eye on some 2 door Sunfire glass that looks like it should work...they need to be long and fairly short windows.

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

Thanks for all the compliments, it's given me some "motor"vation to keep going to this...I've been stalled a while.

I have been having an issue lining up the two outer roof skins in such a way that they are in the correct profile (curve across and front to back of the roof) I could not clamp it due to the method I am using to bond and weld the skins together...and with the inner skin in place I couldn't support it from below. I had planned to inject a little spray foam in between the skins when finished like it had from the factory to give the outer skin some support and keep the two skins from rattling together on rough roads....and (seems to be right now anyway) a brilliant idea came to mind. I bought a can of expansion foam (read the label to see that it was fire resistant when cured) and sprayed a couple of lines across the top of the inner skin. I let it cure and then I took a saw blade and rough cut it down to close to the profile and now I'm using a body filler file to work the profile to the right height and shape...test fitting the outer skin along the way. it's not done yet but it seems to be working great! One of my favorite things with projects like this is that moment something clicks in your mind that solves a problem that has dogged you!

If all goes well I'll have finished all the "hard" work on this chop and the rest of the cab work will be adjustments, filler pieces, final welds, and grinding.

If you are ever crazy enough to try this ( and I guess this could be said for a number of different chops, cut a windshield first to use for test fitting. I was almost "done" when I cut a windshield and found that the windshield frame was not going to seat properly across the middle of the top. I had to cut the entire roof back apart and redo a large part of it to resolve a 1/2 mistake in my metal work.

henrys57wagon · WOODLAWN, ONT

Great work on your truck, half the battle is just starting. I have never cut up a body, well car body anyway, so what you are doing is not for the faint of heart. Their is a guy in Ottawa here that is into doing an s10, here is a link to 6one3 site and one of his posts, philbuilt.

http://6one3.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=1736.105

-- Edited by poncho62 on Saturday 5th of May 2012 12:25:57 PM

meoracing · SAULT STE MARIE, ONT

nice truck great work. You are doing a great job on this truck.

Seeker1056 · DOURO, ONT

usually the trick is to find someone to cut a windshield - I did all three of mine, and it aint easy.
Apparrently there is now a company in Toronto that cust windshields on a waterjet.

There is nothing like the satisfaction of being able to say " I did" when someone asks who did the bodywork and glass work and stuff

How are you dealing with the side glass as it is curved, and tempered, and cant be cut or ground down?

Having seen a couple of these chops over the years, I have seen fillers, plexi, double windows where they cut a glass filler and installed in front of the side glass, to nothing at all, to sliding the glass forward and filling in behind the glass, and once I saw custom glass but it costs as much as the chop did

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

Seeker1056 wrote:
usually the trick is to find someone to cut a windshield - I did all three of mine, and it aint easy.
Apparrently there is now a company in Toronto that cust windshields on a waterjet.

There is nothing like the satisfaction of being able to say " I did" when someone asks who did the bodywork and glass work and stuff

How are you dealing with the side glass as it is curved, and tempered, and cant be cut or ground down?

Having seen a couple of these chops over the years, I have seen fillers, plexi, double windows where they cut a glass filler and installed in front of the side glass, to nothing at all, to sliding the glass forward and filling in behind the glass, and once I saw custom glass but it costs as much as the chop did

I'm hoping to say "I did" everything on this build including the glass. I have cut two windsheilds now, broke the first one right off...the second was almost good and then I got a little too confident and cracked the next. It was good enough to use for fitment etc and can be seen in the pictures here.

I had planned on tring 2 door sunfire side glass but I just took one out of a car this week and found its too long by about 3 inches...maybe a mid eigties OldsCutlass will work? I hope to find an existing window that I can make work, there has to be something close....lots of similar sized two door cars.

Ragtop · BELLE RIVER, ONT

COOL!

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

I need to type slower...re-reading my posts and I'm embarrassed about my typos!

Anyway, I have re-skinned the roof and it turned out quite well. I have an adjustment to make on the passenger side to make the proper door gap but the drivers side is bang on. Using the expanding foam as a backer to hold the panels up worked like a dream! I'll try and take some pictures this week.

Now it's on to finishing up the interior skins and braces, better door top fitment, lot's of final welding and grinding/metal finishing and the upper part of the cab is complete...a long time coming!

I need to adjust my replacement cab corners, do some work on the rockers and then set the cab back over the frame to locate and re-install the floor. I'm fairly certain I will have to make my own seats so that they are low enough to give me enough head room, but I'll have to wait until I get the floor back in before I know. The bottom of the cab needs considerably less work than what it will take to finish the chop but most of the lip biting work is complete.

I will be shaving the door handles and smoothing up the fire wall a bit more but I will likely move onto the box and tilt front end again before I get too crazy with more modification to the cab. My goal is to have everything sitting back on the cab by winter (All of my projects go on hiatus in the winter) to keep me inspired through to next spring.

meoracing · SAULT STE MARIE, ONT

don't forget...you can edit your typos...

89lxstanger · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

nice work man thats a tough chop for someone with experience let alone a first timer congrats

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

I set it back on the frame to do some floor fitting etc...since I am now officially content with the roof (after about 5 years).

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

Not much to update other than I finally got around to fabricating my Watts link during the late summer.

Like the rest of time, all hand fabricated by me, still some tweaking to do before final welding.

If I can figure out how to post a pic I will....photobucket is giving me grief.

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

The view from above aired out.

Aired up

Aired down.

SKAR · PETERBOROUGH, ONT

Test drive this week?

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

I don't know about that...but I do know this, I highly doubt you'll get my $50! LOL

SKAR · PETERBOROUGH, ONT

Will you really ever be finished?

427CARL · CLINTON, ONT

Sweet ride and so nice after a night of drinking open the door and crawl to bed lol

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

LOL Thanks...but I'll never be crawling out of it drunk...expect maybe the passenger seat!

I also started to put the floor back in...three inches higher.

SKAR · PETERBOROUGH, ONT

Drinking away the pain of losing a bet as it sits still in pieces maybe.

JPB · AYLMER, ONT

smile SWEET! smile

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

A great "Follow along" bunch of Pics!!

Great great project, you have put a ton of work ,sweat ,and hours into this.

Impressive!!

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

Thanks!

Don't forget "tears", everytime I screwed something up I felt like letting a few of them flow! LOL

I've learned a ton as a result of this project.

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

I need some motivation....I'm considering trying to sell this pile of metal...lack of time is the killer, three young kids will do that to you.

Lots done (almost all of the hard stuff) but lots to do.

Ziggy · TRENTON, ONT

We all learn from our mistakes, that is one of the best ways to learn how to do things! Hands on is still one of the best teachers. From what you have posted, you are to stubborn to cut corners. So don't give up!!

You have taken on a complicated build and you have done very well. I would keep going. Don't let it go. So it has taken 6 years or so to get it this far, what another couple more years. DON"T STOP. You will have a lot of people wondering and scratching their heads and thinking "HOW THE HELL DID HE DO THAT!!!" You will definately have something that nobody else has or seen. Yes, time with the family and work and what not may keep you from getting more done than what you want to do, but it still YOUR project and as time allows, so will the progress. KEEP WORKING ON IT. You have most of the difficult stuff done. Keep going.

What is the problem with using the stock door glass? Was the curvature changed that much? Look at other manufactors windows. Never know just what you will find?

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

Thanks Ziggy, good advice. I have listed it for sale one other time but could not let it go. I would love to see it finished (by me) and have the space to let it sit...just dying to have a driver....which I'm not in a position to have both right now.

As for the door glass, it's not the curvature it's the fact that since the roof is now 8" lower...it would not wind all the way up and would stop before the leading edge at the front would be mated up with the front of the door. There will be a gap at the front...if all else fails I'll be installing the original glass until I can work this problem out.
I thought I had found something, it looked like Sunfire door glass would work as it is very close to the new "closed" window space but the back edge is wrong.

flatblack55delivery · PORT HOPE, ONT

If any of us need inspiration to overcome a problem we need look no further than the kids who have inspired many with there courage and energy.Take a look at the Taylor bros sponsored by the Dogpatch Devils "Fenders For" events and the little fellow Moon Doll and Blue Chev are helping,that should inspire all of us. Ed

shag766 · FOXBORO, ONT

you are doing a hell of a job for a first attempt/project. this is a little thing i do to help with the frustration of it never seeming to get done and, i don't have the kahunas to attempt what you have challenged. i have found that when i did find the one piece i needed for a certain app i would put it on and look for the next pc-part. it got frustrating one pc/part at a time and you felt it would never finish. now i throw a cover over it and make a list of, say, 3 to 5 pc/parts i need and make a challenge out of finding them. it gets me away from the project but i am still working to it's end at another angle. next time the cover comes off it feels like there is real progress due to applying the multiple pc/parts instead of one thing at a time.
ie: my coronet. albeit i was ass backwards from most projects, meaning i started with the motor first not the vehicle, it was about 7yrs to being fairly close to today's car. now i pick one pc/part/project for the car per yr. keep your eye and mind on the ball. go out pull the cover have a couple of beers think about it, have another couple of beers and remember this one thing. "you are really going to be pissed watching someone else driving it around knowing it was your sweat and frustration that started the ball rolling."
xx-you are doing a hell of a job for a newbie at it, lol. think how easy the next one will be. lol

---i have to add this. i don't attempt the body work. my contribution is the parts and 40/60 on the mechanical. oh! and the beer.

123pugsy · MARKHAM, ONT

Keep plugging away.

I had planned to finish my rod in ten years. Ain't gonna happen but I'll just keep pickin away at it til it's done. I also have two young kids and a house to knock down/build. It will probably be 15 years from the time I picked up the car until the time I drive it.

BTW, if you need a hand to make a steel mold to get some side windows bent out of laminated glass, bring a window to the next Hogtown Meet. Don't let the window thing cause you too much grief. There's always a way. Hotrodders figure it out.

If you want a driver, leave the truck on the back burner, save some coin and pick up a "cheaper" kind of car like a 70's Nova or something.

Just DO NOT SELL THAT TRUCK!! It's different and it looks GREAT!

2inchestoolow · CLARINGTON, ONTARIO

All good points to consider...I've purged the thought of selling it for now! I have to keep rolling on my '41 9N project to wrap it up before fall...my garage is never empty. LOL

Thanks for all the input...I really would HATE to see someone else finish it and enjoy the fruits of my frustrations. LOL